Protect Deaf Services in Edinburgh
Support the campaign by calling on City of Edinburgh Council to reinstate specialist deaf-led, BSL-first services.
Protect Deaf Services Edinburgh is a campaign by Deaf Action calling for the reinstatement of specialist, Deaf-led services for Deaf BSL users living in Scotland’s capital city.
Over the past 18 months, City of Edinburgh Council has withdrawn funding from all specialist Deaf services previously delivered by Deaf Action.
These cuts leave deaf people without deaf-led, BSL-first support and place individuals, families and communities at increased risk.
What is Protect Deaf Services Edinburgh?
- Raise awareness of the loss of specialist deaf services in Edinburgh
- Highlight the real impact on deaf people
- Challenge the replacement of specialist provision with generic services
- Call for services to be reinstated or redesigned with the deaf community
- Hold decision-makers to account for equality and safety
What services have been cut?
- Deaf Social Worker (cut September 2024)
Specialist social work support delivered by a deaf-aware professional with cultural understanding and expert knowledge.
- Specialist Equipment Service (cut March 2025)
A service providing deaf-specific equipment such as doorbells, smoke alarms and alerting systems, including repairs, replacements and specialist advice.
- Community Care Assistant Service (cut November 2025)
Deaf-led, preventative support helping deaf people navigate health, care and daily life, often preventing crisis situations.
What these cuts mean
Taken together, these cuts remove the final layer of deaf-led, BSL-first support in Scotland’s capital city.
Deaf people in Edinburgh are now being directed to generic services that do not provide British Sign Language, deaf cultural awareness or specialist knowledge. This increases the risk of miscommunication, isolation, safeguarding failures and avoidable harm, and places greater pressure on NHS and statutory services.
These cuts do not remove need. They shift it elsewhere, at greater human and financial cost.
What we are asking for
It has been over 10 years since the BSL Scotland Act, with the commitment to make Scotland the “the best place in the world for people whose first or preferred language is BSL to live, work, visit and learn.”
However, in Edinburgh, deaf people are being asked to accept less. Less access and less support. Right here in Scotland’s capital city.
We are asking The City of Edinburgh Council to take urgent action to address the removal of specialist deaf services in Edinburgh and the impact this is having on deaf people living in the city.
Rebuild specialist deaf support
We are calling for the reinstatement of the Deaf Social Worker, the Specialist Equipment service and the Community Care Assistant service, or for equivalent deaf-led alternatives to be put in place. Any replacement provision must be designed specifically for deaf people and not delivered through generic services that lack the necessary language access and cultural understanding.
Commit to accountability
The City of Edinburgh Council should carry out a full equality and social impact assessment of these cuts, examining both the human and financial consequences. The findings of this assessment should be published transparently, with clear explanations of how decisions were made and how risks to deaf people will be addressed.
Work with the deaf community
The Council must work in partnership with deaf people and specialist deaf organisations to co-design future services. This includes ensuring proper BSL access, deaf cultural competence and specialist knowledge, and ending the practice of using generic services as a substitute for dedicated deaf provision.
How you can help us protect deaf services in Edinburgh
1. Write to the Scottish Government and your local MSP
Get in touch with the Scottish Government and your local MSP to let them know this is an issue which requires action, you can find a list of local MSP’s here.
2. Ask City of Edinburgh Council to review these cuts
Contact the Council directly to let them know how their decisions will impact you and the deaf community. You can contact them here.
3. Share your story with us
If you’ve been affected by these cuts, please share your story with us so we can raise awareness of the challenges facing the community. Email us directly at admin@deafaction.org or share on your social media and tag us.
4. Share your views on social media
Join the social media campaign to protect deaf services in Edinburgh. Your support can make a difference in ensuring deaf people get the right support and access to services.
5. Tag us on social media and use the hashtags:
#ProtectDeafServices
#ProtectDeafServicesEdinburgh
#DeafEdinburghDeservesBetter
Facebook @DeafActionUK
Instagram: @DeafAction